Original publisher's dark red cloth, gilt pictorial decoration to upper board depicting a child playing with a train, gilt lettering to spine, top edge gilt, illustrated endpapers and numerous black-and-white illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard throughout.
A particularly attractive example of the true 1927 Second Edition. The binding remains sound and square, with some wear and age-related rubbing to the spine but presenting well in a protective mylar cover. Internally the book is notably fresh, with bright, clean pages, bold illustrations and only moderate toning to the front free endpaper. No loose pages or significant defects noted.
An increasingly scarce early printing of one of the most beloved children's books of the twentieth century.
Condition: Good. Spine worn but sound slight tear to cloth at side but internally bright and clean. Toning to front free endpaper. Gilt decoration remains attractive and presents well.
Published in 1927, Now We Are Six is the second volume of Christopher Robin verse and occupies a pivotal place in the Winnie-the-Pooh canon. Appearing between When We Were Very Young (1924) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928), it contains some of Milne's most memorable poems and further develops the imaginative world that became one of the most celebrated creations in children's literature.
The collaboration between A. A. Milne and Ernest H. Shepard produced one of the defining partnerships in publishing history. Shepard's illustrations are inseparable from the enduring image of Christopher Robin and the Hundred Acre Wood.
Scarcity and Collectability
While first editions command substantial prices and are increasingly difficult to obtain, true early Methuen editions from 1927 have become highly desirable in their own right. Many surviving copies were heavily read by children and later discarded, resulting in relatively few examples retaining attractive original bindings and bright internal contents.
Collectors of Milne, Poohiana, and classic illustrated children's books actively seek early printings such as this because they preserve the original production quality, typography, illustrations, and period binding style issued during the year of first publication.
A pleasing and increasingly uncommon early edition from the golden age of English children's literature.
